


I'll lead you while you close your eyes

by Lkcsi



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, and now i pretend to be a marine biologist, dealing with said phobia, phobia of jellyfish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:55:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21644839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lkcsi/pseuds/Lkcsi
Summary: Yuri had always been particularly afraid of a certain kind of creature that dwells in the sea's waters.
Relationships: Flynn Scifo/Yuri Lowell
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	I'll lead you while you close your eyes

Yuri had always been particularly afraid of a certain kind of creature that dwells in the sea's waters. 

Even though he knew Yuri could handle being buried with only his head sticking out of the sand, he'd never seen him go even within ten feet of the water since that day. As they neared a certain part of the aquarium Flynn felt his best friend edge closer and fidget, and so he extended his hand for him to hold. Yuri accepted. Yuri's unease unfortunately attracted some scoffs and laughter from some schoolmates who didn't like Yuri, who's picked entirely too many fights with the resident bullies and popular kids--aggravating Yuri even further. Flynn's flaming rage at them was only stopped by his friend's irontight grip on his own hand and quick heavy breaths. He'd quelled the raging fire inside him if only to try calming the thundering storm in Yuri. He loved him too much to just leave him like this, and he knew Yuri loved him too for finding at least some comfort in his presence. He heard a girl's voice shout 'hey!' at those laughing at Yuri, and he turned back to see their friends right behind them, visibly fuming and entirely too ready to begin punching a few faces.

He'd deal with them later himself, fist ready to defend Yuri and his phobia. To hell with his deportment awards. For now, his boyfriend and dearest friend will be comforted, come hell or high water. Flynn remembered exactly why he was terrified of it.

_ Flynn had been there with him, when they were still children. If he was right, they had only been eleven years old, the two of them, and it had been a calm day, He remembered the calm and cool breeze. His parents, both of them still alive, had accompanied him to a beach visit with his other friends and their parents. Estelle's family owned the beach resort they went to, and Flynn could still remember how excitedly Yuri had packed his bag and towels and how he hopped in the car before Flynn could even think of getting in. During the trip to the beach it had been Yuri who couldn't mask his excitement at all; he'd been bouncing his legs, drumming his fingers on his lap and on the car seat, grinning all the time, telling Flynn exactly how excited he was and would have worn Flynn's patience away if he'd not known Yuri for years. He'd grown used to his hyperactive friend. _

_ He had understood, though. Everyone did. Yuri hadn't had the luxury of seeing the sea at all. _

_ And when they reached the beach, it took all of his willpower not to zoom down to the shoreline. Flynn could practically see his friend vibrate in place while they waited for the others to arrive and get ready to go. If he vibrated even further he'd feared he would just explode into tiny Lowell-pieces, but thankfully they were released. _

_ The next thing he knew, his dark-haired friend was already frolicking happily in the water, allowing the waves to topple him. Everyone else played in the water next, following Yuri. Estelle had brought a beach ball with her and they'd played a fun game of catch in the water. Afterwards they began swimming around, parents on their heels. Rita had been trying to learn how to swim with Estelle. Flynn's mother had taken a picture of him hugging a fisher's pole jutting out of the water when he'd almost been swept away by the crash of a high wave. Yuri had been off wading deeper that the water reached just below his shoulders, but not too far away from the shore. _

_ "Flynn!" He'd called out to him, his hair fanning around him in the almost crystal clear water. He'd stuck his entire arm out of the water and waved, laughing, and Flynn had swum towards his friend.  _

_ "You having fun?" _

_ "Yeah! Did you know it's so hard to breathe while swimming?!" His grin was too deceiving for what would happen after. _

_ "It's hard, yeah," Flynn had said before pulling on Yuri's arm, "but Mom's made cheese sammiches! I wanna eat!" _

_ Yuri's stomach must have growled that even his thrill of being in a beach for the first time didn't stop him from going back to the shore. _

_ And all of a sudden he let out a loud but short gasp, a half-scream he'd never heard before, and when he whipped his head back in alarm his friend's head disappeared in the water. He immediately ducked, his hand able to hold on to Yuri's arm and find his hair to pull his head out of the water. Something just happened. Yuri was in his arms, awake, but trembling. _

_ "Yuri! Help!" _

The aquarium guide's voice was ignored by the pair.

"I'm scared," Yuri whispered to Flynn.

"Will it help if you closed your eyes and I'd lead you through it?"

He shook his head. "I... can't rest easy knowing there's some of those things floating around me while I'm in there. You know... I'm already thinking the glass would break a-and-"

"I'll put my arm around you. I'll protect you."

"What if you... what if you get stung?"

_ Time flew by that day, and Flynn only could really remember the pristine white walls of the hospital, the whole place stinking of disinfectant. Still, he had scrunched up his nose and had chosen to stay with Yuri, whose grandmother was too frail and too far away to travel where they were to take care of him. All he knew was that lifeguards had pulled them out of the water, had plucked something long and thin and transparent out of Yuri's chest, covered in welts, and Yuri was retching, vomiting, he was suddenly spasming and quivering on the sand, whining, crying. He had seen doctors and nurses file in and out of the emergency room in the hospital, had heard some small whispers from his dad that Yuri had been stung by a stray jellyfish, and that he was having a bad reaction to the sting. At that tender age of eleven Flynn had been so afraid his best friend would die. _

_ He had spent hours in that room with Yuri, holding his hand, until Yuri woke up from whatever had made him fall asleep. His slate eyes had scanned the room while it gained focus, until those eyes settled on the yellow and pale brown blob floating beside him.  _

_ "... Flynn?" _

_ "Yuri! You're awake!" _

_ He'd pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes. With a few blinks his sight had eventually cleared. "Where...?" _

_ "The hospital." Flynn had gone back to holding his friend's hand. "You feel okay now?" _

_ "Mmm... yeah... not so dizzy anymore. Just so tired." _

_ "Dad said the doctor said you'll be fine by tomorrow." He'd fished out a ziplock bag out of his knapsack and presented it to Yuri. "I have a cheese sammich for you. Mom's gonna make more later." _

_ There'd been a short silence, but he had felt Yuri's hand hold his tighter and seen a little smile in his face. "Don't leave me alone, Flynn." _

_ "Don't worry. I won't leave you here."  _

"I won't get stung by the jellyfish, alright?"

Yuri sucked in a breath, his grip slackening and then constricting alternately. "You promise me."

"I promise." Flynn let his other hand stroke the ends of his beloved's beautiful long hair, inching up to rake through locks from the scalp down. "I promise you and I won't get stung. I'll hold you." Yuri allowed Flynn to put his arm around his shoulders and hold him as close as possible by his side, and then responded in kind by leaning his head on Flynn. 

"Let's get out of there fast."

"It's gonna be just a small room. Just as small as three classrooms back at school." He lied a little bit. The jellyfish exhibit was as long as a hallway in the school, but Flynn reasoned to himself that saying that would at least ease Yuri's fears.

"Okay." He closed his eyes and wrapped his own arm around Flynn's waist. "Don't leave me alone."

"I won't. Come on, let's get ahead of everyone and meet them by the anemones."

Flynn stepped forward, leading Yuri through the crowds of people admiring the brainless ancient creatures contained in thick glass walls. They passed through as fast as Flynn could. Moon jellyfish. Box jellyfish. Sea nettles. Blue jellyfish. The pair were in the middle of the room now. Lion's manes. Portuguese men o'war. Barrel jellies. Ocean cauliflowers. Comb jellyfish. All of them were beautiful creatures, amazing and diverse direct descendants of the first beings on the planet. The light was even dim, allowing everyone to see these fleshy blobs glow different colors, especially the comb jellyfish that lit up in all the colors of the rainbow along the ridges across its long body.

Too bad Yuri would never see the wonder. None could blame him for his phobia.

"Hey, Flynn," his voice was soft and shaky, but Flynn could hear him as clear as day, "don't turtles eat jellyfish?"

"Some eat some, yeah."

"I-I think turtles are awesome."

"You want to go see the turtles?"

"Yeah."

"We're close to the exit now. Just a few more paces, okay? I can see some anemones now. Turtles are outside though."

"Would-would there be... the orange and white ones... clownfish around?"

"I don't know. But let's see."

The couple trudged forward until the jellyfish exhibit was well behind them, and the anemones were dancing in front of them as soon as Flynn told Yuri to open his eyes. Cautiously he cracked his eyes open, but as soon as his gaze crossed an orange-ish anemone in front of him he felt the panic ebb. Nothing more than a little ache. 'Magnificent sea anemone with anemonefish' was written on the plaque below the tank. 

A pale orange fish with white stripes darted out of the anemone before swimming back within its stinging tentacles. Yuri let out an amused breath.

"Wow, that was- that was a little cute."

"Yeah. It's so small, too." Flynn watched Yuri watch the fish swim languidly around before zooming quickly for a short distance before going back to a leisurely pace. Somehow the fish could describe him. Sometimes lazy, sometimes too hyperactive. Like a cat that just came out of a nap and then suddenly bolting around the house. He stayed close as his beloved Yuri walked around the sea anemone exhibit, watching closely, gauging if he was getting better after his panic. All his tension relieved by the time the two of them got to a video of an orange anemone actually moving. Its top shrunk and its main body extended into a shaft before disattaching from the rock it was on. Yuri was giggling by the time the anemone 'swam', which was less swimming and more 'folding its body numerous times as awkwardly as possible and passing by some surprised-looking fish and a confused crab'. 

Flynn felt around inside his messenger bag as they rejoined rest of the batch. His fingers came across cool plastic, and inside was a cheese sandwich. He smiled. He could give it to Yuri later when they get out.


End file.
